Not fair!

Unfortunately, Tatum did not have the best of days.  I was informed....warned of this fact by an email, sent to me at work yesterday afternoon.

It warned me of not one, but two incidents that Tatum had that day.

All 'fun' plans were by the wayside.  When we got home, she and I went over - line-by-line - the two notes that had been prepared for me.  We discussed, she was disciplined, she cried, she whined, we discussed some more, and somewhere in the midst of this, she screamed, "It's NOT FAIR!"

We went back over what happens when you make this choice...what happens when you make that choice scenarios.  We talked about the consequences of choices, and making choices knowing full well what the consequences would be.  I then asked her whose fault it was that she was getting punished.

"It's my fault because of my choices.  But I don't want to get in trouble.  It's NOT FAIR!"

After dealing with her for the evening (and trying to decide what to do with myself since I had virtually the entire night -  peruse my movie shelves for something a child might not enjoy as much as I, read a book, sleep?), God then began speaking to me.

Only after my conversation with her did I realize how many times I have those very same conversations with God.  I must sound the same to Him during those times as my daughter sounded to me last night.

Oh how I'm convinced that He allows us to have children so that we can get just a glimpse into His role as our Heavenly Father!

How many times have I screamed, "It's NOT FAIR!" to Him?
How many times have I knowingly made a choice, then not wanted to accept the consequences when they inevitably came?
How many times have I resented discipline - when it was for my own good?
How many times.......have I acted like a 4 year old to my Heavenly Father?

I'm surprised Tatum didn't say it, but normally when she gets in trouble, she'll remark that although I'm not happy with her choices, I still love her and will always love her.  She isn't asking the question of if I will, but reminding she and I that she knows my love will remain constant.  She normally follows up those statements with similar statements about God's love for her.

I may not be happy with her choices, but will always love her.  God may not be happy with my choices - or hers for that matter - but His love is unfailing.